Betsu Ni
by Spork Weilding Canary Of Doom
Summary: A collection of Gokusen 2 drabbles. Whether it be an extended, indepth, or added scene, it's here! And in no particular order! :D
1. The Warehouse

**Disclaimer: This is only a drabble. I don't own this series, or there'd be a LOT more of a depressing theme… **_**believe me**_**.**

**A/N:** HOKAY! –cough- So, if any of you have been keeping up with my _No More Cry_ story… It's irritating me right now because I know what I want to have happen but I just can't figure out how I want to fill the gap… I wrote more… but now I need FINISH THE STINKIN' CHAPTER! –irritation-

Anyways, this drabble is based on episode three of Gokusen II, where Ryu was taken by Kudo's gang and left in a warehouse where Hayato promptly came to his rescue. This will start out almost identical to the beginning of that whole madness, but it's also my spin on it. (So, yeah, that means I'm angsting it up.)

Also… is it weird that I'm listening to the _Lost Boys_ and _Silent Hill_ soundtracks as I'm writing this…?

**-+-**

**Betsu Ni - Gokusen II Writes**

**Drabble One: Episode Three – The Warehouse**

**-+-**

The Fearsome Fivesome wandered through the park, Tsucchi and Hyuuga talking loudly and obnoxiously while Hayato, Take, and Ryu all snickered at their behavior. It was a welcome change as they'd just finished running around, searching for the mystery imposters. Someone had been beating up high school students and claiming it was Hayato and Ryu. They had no leads other than that the imposters were wearing the school uniform. It was tiring work, but necessary in order to clear their names.

Just as Hyuuga was complaining about the park several figures emerged from the darkness and prevented the group from progressing forward. They fell silent, looking at one another as the strangers stared menacingly at them.

"Nah…. Long time no see," said a familiar voice. Five heads turned as their all-too-familiar friend came walking along in front of the line of ruffians. Ryu's eyes widened slightly.

"Kudo-san," he said, garnering recognition from the other members of the group.

Kudo, however, ignored his question. Instead, he asked, "How'd it feel getting a little bit of attention?"

"Eh?" Hyuuga asked, obviously voicing the others' thoughts. The ruffians, around them laughed. It only took a few more seconds for realization to sink in.

"So you guys did it?" Hayato asked, his voice as solid as ever. Kudo smirked.

"We really did have fun! Well, the uniforms and stuff didn't cost us anything," he said thoughtfully. Ryu, whose gaze had been to the ground, finally rose to meet Kudo's.

"You dropped out of school," he stated. Ryu kept his face straight, as if he was silently challenging Kudo. "What are you up to now?"

Kudo's face flushed for a moment. "I had some free time so I'm just having a little fun," He retorted. "Right?" He glanced back at his gang, which responded with dark laughter. He turned back to face Hayato and Ryu. "You wanna join us? We'll welcome both of you." Kudo glanced between the two. "It must suck going to that stinkin' place." His voice was open and strangely trusting. Despite his appearance, he was quite capable with words. As if to further prove this point he turned to Ryu, who looked away. "Ryu, all this time you've hated school," he said. The others remained silent, knowing this to be true. Ryu, however, surprised them all.

"That's not true," he said. Hyuuga, Take, Hayato, and Tsucchi all glanced at him in surprise. They were all wondering where his change of heart came from. Ryu seemed to sense this as a barely perceptible grin touched his lips. "It's not completely uninteresting, either."

Hayato let a chuckle escape him as he began to understand. "True," he said, still chuckling slightly.

"Oi!" Kudo said, his expression hard. "We came all this way to recruit you." He seemed almost offended. "What's your answer?"

There wasn't even a pause as Ryu spoke. "We decline," he said. Tsucchi, Hyuuga, and Take looked at him, surprised with his speedy reply.

"What?" Kudo said, obviously surprised by his response.

"Sorry," Ryu continued, "but I have no interest in becoming one of you guys."

"We're not as free," Hayato offered. There was silence for a moment as Hayato stepped forward. The others were wary, especially since this group of thugs seemed particularly dangerous with the way they carried themselves. Still, Hayato as brave or foolish as ever, took another step forward and made his little quote sign in Kudo's face. "See ya," he said and stepped away, Ryu close behind. The other three slowly walked after them.

"Oi! Just when we had especially come to ask you… giving me all this attitude…" Kudo growled. He flicked his head at his ruffian friends. "Oi! Surround them!" The gangsters shouted in response and rushed forward to surround the five students. In a quick motion the ruffians had flicked out knives of various makes, all pointing at Hayato, Ryu, and the others. There was a moment of stunned silence before Hayato gently shrugged his shoulders and adjusted his coat.

"Formation B," he instructed.

"B?" Ryu asked, confusion in his eyes.

"Roger," Take, Hyuuga, and Tsucchi responded. Ryu quirked an eyebrow.

"Ready… GO!" Hayato shouted. Suddenly, the four other members split off in various directions. Ryu learned quickly what Formation B was, and immediately began mimicking the group's evasive behavior. The ruffians scrambled, shouting for the high school students to wait, but they weren't stopping for anything. Slowly, it became more of a game than an actual 'run for your life' situation. Tsucchi was hiding behind cars; Take was leading a gangster all around a jungle gym and using his small frame to his advantage, and Hyuuga was busy hanging off the stairs and silently taunting the thugs as they ran by. Even Hayato and Ryu found smiles of their faces as they evaded the shouting men. Ryu didn't understand why, but it was the most fun he'd had in a while.

It didn't last, though. He ducked down and alley and tried to escape through a side passage by a roadside building. Just when he thought he'd successfully lost them a couple of ruffians stepped in front of him. He immediately turned around, but more of the thugs emerged behind him. He looked back up and panic began to dump more adrenaline into his system. No matter how he looked at it… he was screwed.

**-+-**

Hayato jogged down the tunnel, his breath coming in short gasps. "Damn, I'm tired…" he huffed. His cell phone started ringing and he pulled it out. Ryu's name flashed on the screen. "Hello?" he asked, slightly confused as to why the other was calling him. "Ryu, what's wrong?"

_"Buuuu!"_ came the voice on the other end.

"Huh?" Hayato came to a stop as he listened intently to the voice on the other end.

_"Unfortunately, this isn't Odagiri,"_ the voice stated. Hayato paused and his eyes narrowed as he recognized the voice.

"Damn you," he growled. "Where's Ryu?"

_"The underground storage. If you don't hurry… he'll be full of holes!"_ A cackle was heard along with what sounded like a shout from Ryu before the line went dead. Hayato clicked his phone shut and his blood began to boil. The underground storage where he, Ryu, and Kudo used to hang out… He knew where it was. Hayato took off, running towards the storage at full speed. He had to get to Ryu… he had a bad feeling about this…

­**-+-**

"Damn you, Ryu," Kudo said as he clicked Ryu's phone shut. The other was on his knees, his arms held behind his back and his head lowered. He could feel the blood and bruise in the corner of his mouth; the taste was almost nauseating. Kudo walked over to Ryu, grabbed him by the hair, and jerked his head up. "I told you to be quiet while I was on the phone. Didn't your parents teach you any _manners_!?" he shouted, punching Ryu's right cheek. Ryu's head snapped to the side, but no noise left his mouth.

Kudo couldn't help but grin. "Well… no matter. Do you remember this place, Ryu?" he asked, opening his arms wide. Ryu glanced around him, but he knew the moment they arrived where they were. "That's right, Ryu," Kudo said. "We're at our old place; yours, mine, and Hayato's. It's been a long while since we all hung out here together… Too long, don't you think?" he mused. Ryu remained quiet. "Ah, but those were the good times! You and Hayato and I… coming here for a smoke. Of course, _you_ had to go and ruin it all, didn't you?"

"Drugs are stupid!" Ryu said, his voice low. "If I'd have let you keep them here than we _all_ would have been in trouble! I warned you!"

"NO!" Kudo shouted, grabbing Ryu's chin. "You didn't warn me… You just told me that you were going to snitch ahead of time! Did you_ want_ me to come find you? Hmm? Did you _want_ me to _punish_ you?"

"I didn't tell," Ryu said through clenched teeth. "All I said was that if you continued… if you continued to store them here… then Hayato and I would no longer associate with you. They're bad, Kudo…"

Kudo gave Ryu a hard punch to the stomach, making the other sputter and cough vigorously. "I don't care, Ryu. I know you snitched on me… and still… I was _still willing_ to let you and Hayato in… to let you guys redeem yourselves. I guess you're just too good for me." He grabbed Ryu's hair and forced him to stand. "Poor, pathetic, little Ryu… Skinny, emotionless, alone… How long has your father been beating you now, Odagiri?"

"Shut up!" Ryu shouted, struggling against his holds. Kudo only laughed.

"Boy, you _are_ pathetic. You fight so much and so well, even though you don't want to… and yet…" He paused and punched Ryu in the gut again. "You bruise _so… easily_…" Ryu would have fallen to his knees again had the gangsters not been holding him. Kudo smirked and stepped back towards one of his men. "Shuugo… gimme a knife. A good one," he instructed. A ruffian with a wicked grin stepped forward and handed him a butterfly knife. Kudo twirled it a few times before glancing back at Ryu.

"You should thank me," Kudo said, stepping close to Ryu. "Not only am I going to make sure you don't mess my life up ever again… but I'm putting you out of your misery as well." He waved the knife in front of Ryu's eyes.

Ryu coughed slightly. "Kudo… I didn't tell… I swear."

"Wasn't our deal that if you didn't tell then I'd keep quiet about your father to Hayato? I think that's how the deal went," Kudo replied. He moved the tip of the knife along Ryu's throat, careful as to not puncture the skin. "And, still… Even though you broke our part of the deal, ran away from a great offer, and threw my attempt at forgiveness in my face… I'll honor my end and keep quiet." He moved the knife downward, making its way towards Ryu's stomach. Kudo grinned. "This is fair, I believe."

Ryu's eyes widened and, with a quick jerk of Kudo's hand, it was done.

**-+-**

Hayato ran down the driveway of the underground storage. "Ryu!" he called, searching desperately for his friend. "Ryu!" He rounded the corner and paused. "Ryu…" Ryu was lying against a stack of boxes, his face beaten and eyes closed. Praying that was the only damage, Hayato ran over to him. "Are you okay?" he asked, kneeling down.

Ryu's eyes cracked open and he forced a smile. "I think so." Hayato kept his hand on Ryu's shoulder.

"Where's Kudo and his gang?" he asked. Ryu inhaled strangely and jerked his head in the direction of the driveway. Hayato looked over just as the large door began to lower. His eyes widened and he turned back to Ryu. "Can you stand?" he asked, but grabbed Ryu and began helping him up without waiting for an answer. Ryu didn't complain, though, using Hayato to help stay upright.

They ran to the door, Hayato all the while keeping a hold on Ryu. The other struggled to remain standing, but ran regardless. They had to run… But they weren't fast enough. The door closed before they even reached it. "Let us out!" Hayato shouted! Ryu gripped the folds in the metal and rested against the door as Hayato removed his phone and waved it around. "No signal…" He glanced at Ryu, who was still trying to catch his breath.

"What are they thinking," he asked aloud although he knew that Hayato had no answer for him. Hayato looked around them for a moment, ignoring Ryu. It was quiet in the storage and despite what he saw Hayato wasn't able to make out an exit.

"Damnit!" he shouted. "C'mon… there's gotta be a way out of here," he said, grabbing Ryu's arm and jerking him forward. The other followed, allowing Hayato to take the lead, but his steps eventually slowed until he came to a complete stop.

"Hayato," he said, his voice thick. Hayato immediately looked back.

"What?"

Ryu collapsed to his knees, using one hand to catch himself while the other wrapped tightly around his stomach.

"Ryu!" Hayato called, rushing to his side. Ryu's eyes were squeezed shut and his breathing was labored.

"I'm… sorry…" he rasped, removing his other hand from around his stomach. Hayato's eyes widened. His entire hand was bloody. Hayato quickly pulled Ryu's jack away to reveal the large blood stain on Ryu's white shirt.

"Jesus, Ryu! Why didn't you tell me!?" he said, panic in his voice. "C'mon… let's get you over here." He helped Ryu stand, being much gentler this time, and leaned Ryu down against the boxes where he found him. Hayato pulled the jacket away and gently lifted Ryu's shirt. "Jesus," he said again, his voice a whisper. Sure enough there was a fresh stab wound in Ryu's side.

"I'm sorry," Ryu said again, his breathing rough. His head slumped to one side, though he righted it right away, trying to stay focused.

"You idiot!" Hayato shouted, panic making his voice crack. He quickly removed his jacket, balled it up, and pressed it on the wound. Ryu only winced. "Alright… Hold that there; I'm going to go around and see if there's any way out, alright? Just… put pressure on it, okay?" he instructed. Ryu nodded and gave a small smirk.

"Go on, I'm fine, I promise… It just… looks bad," he forced out. Hayato's brows furrowed as he stepped away.

"You're such a bad liar, Ryu," he said. "I'll be back! If something happens… just call for me!" he shouted, running off in search of an exit.

Ryu took the moment alone to pull away Hayato's jacket and his blood soaked shirt to inspect the damage. Gods, it felt bad… He put his shirt back down and once again pressed Hayato's jacket on the knife wound. A groan of protest escaped him.

It was too cold. Ryu began to shiver, but it was a strange sensation. With the cold came a fuzziness; a light headedness that made the pain a little bit more bearable. So, when a distant voice began to call him, he found it hard to focus on it. That is, until it was right in his ear.

"RYU!" Hayato shouted. "Ryu, damnit! Look at me!"

Ryu turned his head slightly and looked up at Hayato with clouded eyes. The skin beneath them was discolored and Ryu's usually light tan complexion was too pale. Ryu lifted one of his bloody hands up slowly and looked at it. Finally, after a long moment, he let it drop and sighed in defeat. A bitter smirk crossed his face, almost instantly gone and replaced with loss. "I'm fine, Hayato," he said, his voice weak.

Hayato leaned around to the front of Ryu and gripped his shoulders. A sad smile that tried to mask the panic in his eyes appeared on Hayato's face. "Ryu… you're such a shitty liar," he said. "Listen, all you have to do is stay awake, okay? They open these doors early in the mornings. Just stay awake, alright?" he asked. Ryu looked at his for a moment before nodding.

"Okay," he said meekly. Hayato nodded and went back to leaning against the boxes at Ryu's side.

"I'm sure the others are still looking for us anyways. Odds are they'll find us and get us outta here," he said. He glanced over at his friend. "Well, what did Kudo say to you?"

Ryu leaned his head back and sighed. "He was mad… He… He was mad that we didn't join…" he replied. Hayato nodded. He knew he had to keep Ryu talking; if the other got sleepy then it would all go downhill from there.

"What about the others? He had a big gang… Do you think they're all high school drop outs?" he asked. Ryu took longer to respond.

"I don't know… They looked… young," he forced out.

"Come on, Ryu. You need to stay with me, alright?" Hayato demanded. Ryu gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"I'm trying," he whispered, but his eyes were closed. Hayato felt the tendrils of panic again. So, he kept up with the questioning. They were random questions either about Ryu, himself, or just question about Japan and the world in general. He wasn't sure how long he was questioning Ryu, but he could sense the other's strength fading.

"So, what's it like coming to school after ditching for so long?" he offered. A tiny smile hinted at Ryu's lips.

"It's interesting… Yankumi… Yankumi is… interesting…" Ryu's head tilted to one side, coming to rest on Hayato's shoulder.

"No! Ryu!" he said, jumping up and gently shaking his friend's shoulders.

With effort, Ryu's eyes opened and Hayato was thankful, but the look he saw there crushed his hopes: defeat. Ryu looked like he was… giving up. "Hayato," Ryu said, his voice even weaker than before. Dark circles marred Ryu's eyes and his skin was alabaster white.

"Ryu… you promised!" Hayato shouted. "Damnit, we've still got time! Just stay awake, alright?"

Ryu's eyes fluttered shut and his head fell forward to rest on Hayato's chest. "I can't… I'm sorry…"

"Yes, you can, Ryu! Come on, you've _always_ taken the easy way out on things! Hell, you decided to leave school instead of face me every day! Why don't you buck up and face something for once, eh!?" Hayato shouted, anger and fear making his voice loud.

"I do!" Ryu said suddenly. His voice was slightly stronger than before. "You… have _no_ idea, Hayato," he growled. Hayato felt a flicker of hope.

"Whatever, Odagiri. You've always been running away. Unless it's a fight, you can't stand it, _especially_ if it involves expressing emotions or, oh, I dunno… pretending that you actually _have_ emotions," he supplied. Ryu looked up at him, his eyes filled with anger and frustration and… a question. _Why are you doing this?_ Hayato paused a moment. _Because I have to, Ryu_.

"Hayato… I can't feel…" Ryu started. "I can't feel… my fingers." He lifted up a bloody hand and looked at it. Hayato grabbed his hand and jerked it out of Ryu's sight.

"Don't even look at it," he said, but Ryu could hardly hear him. His eyes faded slightly before closing altogether and his hand went limp in Hayato's. Silence. Hayato's eyes widened with fear. "Damnit! Ryu!" he shouted, shaking his friend. No response.

Then, as if God was answering, the garage door began to open up. Hayato acted quickly and scooped Ryu up into his arms. "Don't worry, Ryu. The doors are open now; we'll get you to a hospital, okay?" he said as he moved quickly towards the doors. The sunlight was bright, but he didn't bother shielding his eyes; he needed to find help and fast. Again, fortune smiled upon him.

"Yabuki-kun! Odagiri-kun!"

"Ryu! Hayato! You guys here?"

The chorus of voices never sounded so wonderful to Hayato. He emerged from the descending driveway to see Yankumi and the others running towards him. He reasoned that they had been searching all night. At the sight of Ryu in his arms they sped up.

"What happened!?" Yankumi shouted as she neared them. Hayato gently lowered Ryu to the ground, keeping his head in his lap with one hand pressed to his wound. They were both covered in blood.

"We have to get help!" Hayato shouted. Take, however, was already acting on that, his cell phone out and to his ear. He shouted excitedly at the receiver, informing someone of their location and situation. Yankumi knelt down by Ryu and gasped; he looked like death.

"Dear God…" she whispered, tears flooding her eyes. Hayato's own eyes were misty. In the distance a siren wailed.

Hayato looked down at Ryu and gave a meager smile. "Heh, why don't you follow through with a lie for once, eh? You said you'd be alright… prove yourself right this time," he said. The siren was suddenly close and an ambulance came into view, but all the sound around Hayato began to fade as paramedics came barreling out of the vehicle and rushing towards Ryu. They ripped him from Hayato's hands, leaving him with nothing but the cold blood. The others were quickly whisked away by the paramedics and they dragged Hayato along. All the while, the only thing Hayato prayed for…

…was that Ryu had broken his habit of lying and that he really would be alright.

**-+-**

Okay…. So if this drabble was gay, then I'm really sorry… I honestly can't say one way or another if I absolutely love it or hate it. I worked hard on it, that's for damned sure… Expect more drabbly drabbles! These ones are going to be more feeling-oriented, because we all know how much of an emotional guy Ryu is! :D

BTW… Is it strange that I eat my Lucky Charms very specifically, as in I eat aaalll of the cat food-looking things, _then_ I eat the marshmallows in order from the smallest amount to the largest amount? ('Course, I dun care what any of y'alls say… The rainbows taste the best.)


	2. The End Part One

**Disclaimer: HOWDY Y'ALLS! Okay, so we all know I'm too poor and all to own anything. Hell, I'm a college student for crying out loud… it's impossible to own my own soul at this point.**

**A/N: **YO! So, I've been asked on several different occasions if I was planning on doing another drabble. Well, I've started about three, all based on the same thing/scene, but I was never able to make them turn out the way I wanted to. Then, a completely different inspiration hit me. I was re-watching episode… 9? The one that's Ryu-centric and my friend (who'd watched a music video dedicated to Ryu with me earlier) asked about the last episode, because it showed Kudo with the pipe in his hand, ready to skewer Ryu and then BOOM! End of music video.

Basically, this is my take on the last part of Episode 10 (I think??) and so on before graduation. (Sorry, I have no internet so I'm not able to check which episode goes where eheh…)

**-+-**

**Bestu Ni**

**Drabble Two: Episode Ten – The End**

**-+-**

It was going horribly.

Each of the 3-D members was sustaining heavy beatings at the hands of Kudo's men. Why had they come here in the first place!? Take was being double teamed by two men who decided to take advantage of his smaller stature. Tsucchi was _almost_ holding his own against a couple of other men and Hyuuga was lost in the mass of 3-D students trying desperately to get back to back and defend each other.

Hayato shoved his latest assailant away, only to be confronted by another. He glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of his friends. It was difficult with some ruffian trying to strangle him in the process.

"You'll never make it out of here alive," the gruff stranger hissed. Hayato growled.

"Yeah, right!" he said, flipping around to the other side of his attacker. He grabbed the man's shoulders and planted a firm knee in the attacker's spine. The man quickly went down with a cry. "Hah!" Hayato couldn't help but sneer. He tried another 360. Where the hell was Ryu!? He had finally found Hyuuga trying to fend off a man much bigger than him. He would have gone to his aide if he hadn't seen what made his stomach squirm.

Ryu was standing face to face with Kudo. The dropout held a heavy metal pipe, one end cruelly sharpened. Ryu was already sporting a bloody lip. "Ryu!" he called, taking a step towards his friend. He had to backtrack, though, as a fist came sailing his way. He wasn't able to completely avoid it and it made fair contact with his chin. Hayato collided with the ground, landing awkwardly on his wrist. A small cry escaped his lips; it was sprained for sure. Damnit, now defending himself was going to be even more difficult.

"Why don't you just stop this!?" he heard Ryu say with desperation. He rolled over to his stomach and looked in his friend's direction. Ryu was holding his left arm tightly; Hayato saw blood dripping from his fingertips.

"Shut up!" Kudo replied, punching Ryu as hard as he could. Already injured, there was no way Ryu was able to dodge the hit and he took it completely, knocking him to the ground. "You've done nothing but be a pain in my ass, Odagiri!" Kudo growled. "I've been to jail because of you… I had to drop out of school because of you… Hell, I tried to kill you, but you just _keep coming back_." He spat in Ryu's direction and turned, ready to go attack more of the helpless 3-D students.

Suddenly, Ryu grabbed Kudo's leg, halting him. "Ryu…" Hayato whispered, still immobile on the ground.

"Please…" Ryu begged. Hayato's heart clenched. "Please stop this," he said again.

"I don't think so," Kudo said, jerking his leg free. This time, though, he didn't walk away. He walked around to Ryu's side, the poor boy still lying prone on the ground, and stepped harshly on his spine. Ryu's teeth clenched in pain.

"Ryu!" Hayato shouted, trying to get himself up. Suddenly, another member of Kudo's gang was straddling him. The ruffian grabbed a handful of Hayato's hair, jerking his head upward so that he had a perfect view of his helpless friend. Kudo locked eyes with Hayato and gave a wicked grin.

"I know how to destroy _both_ of you," he said, lifting the cruel pipe up above Ryu.

"No!" Hayato shouted, struggling against his holds.

"Too late!" Kudo shouted.

He brought down the pipe, the sharp end driving mercilessly into Ryu's side. There was a sickening snap of one of Ryu's ribs. Ryu's eyes simply widened, his face paralyzed with pain.

"NOOO! RYU!" Hayato shouted, rage filling him. His captor didn't stand a chance as Hayato twisted to the side, using both his good and bad wrist to throw off the ruffian. He delivered a hard roundhouse kick to the man's head, taking him down for certain. He turned back towards Kudo.

The dropout yanked out the pipe from Ryu's side, making the injured boy cry out. Ryu's blood decorated the pipe, making Hayato's own sing with rage.

"KUDOOO!" he shouted. Kudo just gave him that wicked grin and walked away. Hayato took off for Ryu, the other boy already trying to get on all fours. "Ryu…" he said, his voice shaky.

"I'm fine," Ryu replied. "I promise, I'm… I'm fine."

Just then, the warehouse doors burst open. Hayato didn't have to look to know who it was. All of the ruffians in the place paused their thrashing as Yankumi stepped in. Still, Hayato didn't bother with her. The ruffians would all meet their just ends; it was Ryu he was concerned with.

"Ryu… Ryu, you're bleeding…" Hayato said, trying to help his friend upright. Ryu didn't reply. His breathing was too fast… too shallow.

"Yabuki! Odagiri!" Yankumi shouted, coming towards them. However, ruffians were already stepping past the two downed students, making their ways towards Yankumi. Hayato paid them no mind, also not noticing Kudo silently slipping away.

"Ryu!" Hayato exclaimed as the frail boy collapsed in his arms. There was too much blood; it was everywhere… on Ryu, on Hayato, on the ground… Panic made Hayato's heart beat faster as he struggled to remain in control of his emotions. "Jesus, Ryu…"

"I'm sorry," Ryu groaned, sounding completely unlike himself.

"Shut up," Hayato said, putting his own hand on Ryu's wound. Apply pressure… he knew that much. "This isn't your fault… He didn't fight fair."

"No…" Ryu replied. "I was… taking matters into… my own hands… again," he said. "I thought… that maybe he'd stop…"

"Ryu, shut up," Hayato said again, his voice cracking. Suddenly, Yankumi appeared at his side, bearing a bruised cheek and a split lip.

"What happened!? Jesus, Odagiri-"

"Call an ambulance!" Hayato shouted. However, one of the other students was already dialing the hospital. Hayato couldn't even hear him speaking, all his attention focused on Ryu,

"Just hold on, Odagiri-kun… We've called the hospital," Yankumi said, trying to soothe the injured boy.

"I'm… f..f…" He couldn't finish, a coughing fit suddenly attacking him. It was strange sounding, fluid-like for some reason. Then, suddenly, he put a hand to his mouth and gave a large, violent cough. Hayato heard it, Yankumi as well, but that didn't make it any easier to see the blood dripping from Ryu's lips as he pulled his hand away.

"Damnit! Where's that fucking ambulance!?" Hayato shouted, his voice breaking again.

"I called them," a voice in the background said, but it didn't matter. They need to be there now.

"You're gonna be fine, Ryu," Hayato said, his eyes already stinging. Ryu nodded.

"I know…" he whispered.

"The ambulance is on its way," Hayato added. "They'll get you and you'll be fine."

"I… I know," Ryu whispered again. Another coughing fit came over him. He tried to cover his mouth, but that didn't do much to hide the blood as it fell from his lips once more, running down his pale skin and turning the collar of his white shirt dark red.

Finally, Hayato heard the sirens. "Everyone, get back!" Yankumi shouted. "Give the paramedics enough room to get to him! Hayato, keep a hold of him! Its okay, Odagiri-kun. They're here."

"See? I told you they'd get here… that you'd be fine," Hayato said. But when he looked down he saw that Ryu's eyes were closed. "Ryu?" he said, his voice shaking. "Ryu!? RYU!" He gently shook his friend, but there was no response.

The ambulance came in through the large open doors, squealing to a stop near the boys. Several paramedics burst from the vehicle and made their way towards Hayato, Ryu, and Yankumi.

"What happened!?"

"He was stabbed!" Take shouted. They quickly got to work, pulling him away from Hayato.

"Wait!" he shouted, but the paramedics took Ryu away from him anyways. "Wait, damnit, you're hurting him!"

"Yabuki-kun!" Yankumi said, pulling him away. "You want them to help him, right?" she asked. "C'mon, let's go. We can ride in the ambulance," she said, jerking Hayato along. "The rest of you… another ambulanced is on its way to treat you guys. We'll meet you at the hospital." And with that she and Hayato boarded the ambulance.

"Sit here," an EMT commanded, placing the two safely out of the way.

"I can't get a pulse," another one said. They had just successfully attached a monitor to Ryu.

"Get the defibrillator!"

They quickly removed the large piece of electrical equipment and worked to cut Ryu's bloodied shirt in half. "Alright, he's ready!" one said after placing pads on the electrically charged equipment.

"Clear!" one said, placing it on his chest. They sent an electrical shock through Ryu's body, making him convulse. Still, the monitor read no heart beat.

"Clear!"

Another shock.

"Clear!"

Another shock.

"…Clear!"

Another shock.

Still no response.

Hayato watched with horror as the EMTs stared at one another, their expressions somber.

"What are you doing!?" he shouted, standing up. "Try again!"

"Sir, we need you to sit down," one EMT said.

"No! You need to keep trying!" Hayato shouted.

"Yabuki!" Yankumi said, grabbing a hold of him.

"He's not dead!" Hayato shouted. "Try again, damnit! He's not dead!"

Hayato didn't know if they would have tried again because the ambulance had already reached the hospital. They quickly wheeled Ryu out of the ambulance and into the critical condition unit. Yankumi and Hayato followed close behind until they reached the doors marked 'SURGERY'. A nurse turned around and stopped them.

"I'm sorry, but you can't go in there," she said, holding her hands up.

"The hell I can't!" Hayato shouted, trying to shove past her. Yankumi grabbed a hold of his shoulders.

"Damnit, Yabuki-kun!" she said. "Come on! If you go in there you'll only be in the way! That could hinder the surgeons and in the end that could cost Ryu what precious time he has! Now, get back here and wait!" she shouted. Hayato stopped his fussing. He didn't drop his hardened glare from the nurse's eyes, but he did back away. "That's it… C'mon, we'll wait right here, right outside the door."

Slowly, the two sat down in the hallway. Hayato kept his eyes on the light reading 'SURGERY'. He just couldn't take his eyes off of it. All he could hear was the flat-lining of the heart monitor in the ambulance. It filled his thoughts; that sound, the sight of Ryu's blood, his closed eyes…

It was all horribly painful.

Especially because, in the end, Ryu might not make it anyways.

**-+-**

I'm just HORRIBLE aren't I! Well, I'm sorry… ehehe… But this is where this drabble ends. I'll write the next part (DON'T WORRY LOL) and you all can read it and enjoy its glory! Bwahahahah!


	3. The End Part Two

**Disclaimer: I own not a thing!**

**-+-**

**Bestu Ni**

**Drabble Two: Episode Ten – The End (Part Two)**

**-+-**

Hayato stared at the doors. Yankumi had fallen silent a moment ago, thought he could still hear her sniffling every so often. She was trying hard not to cry; to not show weakness. It didn't matter. Even if she broke down into hysterics, Hayato wouldn't have been able to care one way or another. They'd been sitting the chairs for almost five minutes… That already was a sign, a possibility that Ryu might have made it.

Suddenly, the doors opened and out stepped a tired looking doctor. "Yamaguchi-sensei?" he said quietly. Hayato leapt up from his chair, almost attacking the man.

"Ryu! Tell me about Ryu!" he shouted. "Is he okay!? What's going on!? Tell me, damnit!"

"Yabuki!" Yankumi said, pulling Hayato away from the poor man. "Yes, I'm Yamaguchi," she said. There was a pause.

The doctor nodded and lowered his gaze respectfully.

_No_.

_No… it's not possible…_

"I'm terribly sorry," he said. "Odagiri Ryu has passed on."

Sound faded out completely.

Hayato just stared at the doctor, Yankumi doing likewise. Neither of them wanted to believe it. They simply _couldn't_ believe it.

"No," Hayato said, his voice hard. "You're lying."

"I'm so sorry," the doctor said again. "We tried for as long as we could, but young Odagiri…" The doctor faltered slightly. "Young Odagiri was dead before he reached the hospital."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Hayato shouted, full on punching the doctor. He grabbed the man's collar and hoisted him up, slamming him against the wall. "You're LYING! I KNOW IT! Ryu _can't_ be dead!"

"Yabuki!" Yankumi shouted, trying to pull Hayato off of the doctor.

He didn't budge. "NO! He's lying!" Hayato shouted. His voice was losing its strength, though. "Ryu's alive! I _know_ it! I just… I just know it…"

Slowly, Hayato's grip on the doctor's collar became loose until his hands eventually fell to his sides. He stepped away, further and further. Finally, he turned, slamming his bad wrist full on into the opposing wall. "Damnit!" he shouted, ignoring the pain.

"Yabuki-kun," Yankumi whispered, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him away. Hayato jerked away from her.

"Don't you get it!?" he shouted, grabbing Yankumi's own shoulders. Her eyes were red, tears already falling down her cheeks. She almost appeared frightened in his grasp. "Don't you get it?" he whispered. "Ryu's… Ryu's dead… He's never coming back… never ever…" He choked slightly. Hayato's strength left him, causing his knees to buckle. He fell to the ground, one hand still clutching Yankumi's arm. A sob escaped his lips, quickly followed by another. "He's n-never… never…"

Yankumi sank to her knees as well, wrapping Hayato in a tight embrace. "Yabuki…" she whispered, tears flowing over her cheeks. Hayato didn't reply. He simply clutched her in return, crying unashamed into her shoulder. Ryu was gone. He was dead.

"I'm so sorry," the doctor said again, seemingly unshaken by Hayato's reaction. He stood there a moment, respectfully bowing his head, before leaving them to their sorrow. No one else was there to watch them in their pain; just a big, empty hallway filled with anguish.

"Hayato! Yankumi!" came Take's familiar voice. The two on the ground didn't bother looking up as they heard footsteps approaching. The others… they'd know the verdict as soon as they saw Yankumi holding a broken Hayato.

Sure enough, the class of 3-D rounded the corner. "Hayato! Where's Ryu!? Is… he…"

All was silent.

The class simply watched as Hayato sobbed into Yankumi's arms.

"No…" Take whispered. He took a step forward, slowly closing the distance between the class and Yankumi. "Yan… Yankumi?"

Yankumi turned to face Take, her face streaked with tears and gentle sobs escaping her lips. After a moment she shook her head.

"No…" he whispered again. The same affect of sorrow washed over him, bringing him to his knees. "Ryu," he whispered, his eyes brimming with tears. He leaned forward, slamming his fist on the ground, his tears spilling over. "RYU!"

The rest of 3-D quickly understood.

One of their leaders, their confidant, their longtime friend… he was gone forever. They could never speak to him again, never shove him around and rough house again, never tease and joke about the true softy that he was ever… ever… again.

Some were too stunned to cry; others clung to each other in an attempt to share their pain. The hospital became not a place of birth and healing and happiness, but a place of death, sorrow, and despair.

**-+-**

Hayato watched as everyone slowly made their way back to their cars. It was cloudy, the lighting dim and gloomy. It wasn't rainy, however, and the wind was almost nonexistent. The atmosphere reminded him a lot of Ryu; he always seemed gloomy, like a storm was on the way, but just on the other side of those clouds lay the sun; bright, brilliant, amazing, and warm.

Hayato could hear the guests as they walked past him. They said nothing; there were only a few adults among all of the high school students. They were all talking about the same thing; Ryu was just a child… Much too young to be gone forever. Hayato agreed more than they could possibly know.

Many of the boys refused to leave. They stood there, staring at the crude cut out of stone and the name forever printed on it. Hayato refused to look at it. He couldn't… not while everyone was there. He had to say things that were only meant for Ryu. Perhaps it sounded stupid, but it had to be done. He had to be the strong leader now. He had to be the one comforting 3-D as they wept at Odagiri Ryu's grave.

Take walked by, sobbing profusely. He tried to control himself, but it was impossible. Take was so small, he could probably only feel one emotion at a time, and right now sorrow was definitely the most prominent. Tsucchi snuck an arm around his shoulders, drawing him in to some form of comfort. The taller boy was surprisingly stoic, thought the occasional tear found its way down his face.

Hyuuga was trailing close behind them. His face, still holding the look of disbelief, was red and puffy with secretly shed tears. He walked in an almost trance like state as he passed Hayato. A few of the 3-D members had tried to comfort him, but he hardly responded. It wasn't surprising. No one had ever imagined Ryu dead. He was one of their two fearless leaders.

Where Hayato was compassionate and motivated, Ryu was understanding and rational… they completed each other and made the best duo for the best group of boys. Now, though… Now it was so incredibly lonely. Hayato had felt lonely once before, but this was a whole new sense of loss.

The last of the stragglers finally departed, leaving Hayato standing alone a few yards from where Ryu was to lie eternally. Still, he waited. No one had bothered him; they knew better. He only had to wait until the last of the cars and bikes and finally gone away.

It was silent. Hayato slowly made his way over to Ryu's grave, feeling a strange sense of calm. Something about this place… it was as if those already buried there didn't want him to feel the pain he felt now. Still, he moved onward, coming to a stop a foot from Ryu's grave. After a moment, he knelt down and reached out, gently tracing Ryu's name etched in the stone.

"Ryu," he said, letting his hand drop. He already felt the tears. _No, not yet_, he told himself. He gave a small chuckle. "You really suck, you know that?" he said. He looked down at his hands. "We were supposed to graduate together… It was our promise, remember?" He looked up. "…why'd you have to die, Ryu?" He felt his throat clench. "Why…" he whispered. He sniffed. "I can't lead this class into graduation by myself. I tried… and in the end I was so happy when you came back…" He chuckled again. "You know when I hit you? All because of that stupid situation with… with Ara High?" he asked. He sniffed. "That hurt so bad… I was just so angry; I refused to see the logic. You're always so damned logical." He sniffed again and looked up at the grave. "It's really annoying, you know?

"But, now…" He paused, letting a tear roll down his cheek. "Now, I'd give anything to hear your logic, Ryu… I'd give anything to have you come back and be the wet blanket, the one who ruins the fun sometimes, all because you're looking out for us… I'd give anything to be annoyed at your stupid, cold, hard logic." He clenched his fists. "It wasn't fair… It _isn't_ fair." He slowly stood. "Ryu… I won't let this be the end… Kudo will pay for what he's done," Hayato said, his voice strong. He wiped away the tears on his face. "I'll find him. I promise, Ryu."

He laughed bitterly a last time. "If you were here, I just know you'd tell me to forget about it, that it is a stupid idea, and that I'll most likely get hurt or get into trouble. And, in the end, your common sense would win and we'd go drinking or karaoke with the others instead. However…" His voice grew hard, "you're not here… I'll never listen to your common sense again… and you can't stop me."

With that, Hayato turned from Ryu's grave and walked away, holding within him a new, fierce determination.

**-+-**

So how much do you all hate me right now? I'M SO SORRY! (--- -is Lucretia from Dirge of Cerberus-) BUT! In my honest opinion… if they'd ended the series this way… I think the impact would have been MUCH greater. I know, I know, but I'd dig it.

I listened to…

_Where Angels Fell – _Stutterfly

_Angel's Son – _Sevendust

_Fly Me to the Moon – _Claire

_If We Hold On Together – _Diana Ross

(Also, a reviewer had asked if I'd seen the fanvid of HayaXRyu to the song "True Love" I believe? Yes! I've seen that, and that's part of where I got my inspiration from! :D)


End file.
